Hansen Elementary School

Hansen Elementary School

Cedar Falls, IA

Cedar Falls School’s growth in their elementary system was taxing their available facility space. A much needed expansion to Hansen Elementary was required to serve its growing ward’s population. The design team overcame challenges of a limited site and a deteriorating original circular open-plan structure by creating a phased renovation, addition, and replacement of parts of the building.
After countless iterations of solutions were explored, the move to demolish the original circular academic section opened the door for a learning communities’ concept. These learning communities were wrapped around a student commons and full-sized gymnasium filled with natural light through large amounts glass and opens to an exterior plaza at the rear of the school which includes an outdoor classroom.
The new look of the facility creates a state of the art feeling with learning on display that is instantly recognizable by the Hansen neighborhood. This new front entrance also adds a school office and security vestibule for the building, which when combined with electronic locking and compartmentalization, allows a new level of safety that was not originally available.